John b



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B.

BERNADOU AND GEORGE A.

CONVERSE, OF THE UNITEDSTATES,

NAVY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 550,472, dated November 26,1895.

Application filed September 16. 1895.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that we,JOHN B. BERNADOU,

- lieutenant United States Navy, and GEORGE A. CONVERSE, commander United States Navy, stationed at the naval torpedo station near Newport, Rhode 1sland,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Nitrocellulose- Powders of Standard Strength; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de-, script-ion of the inventiomsuch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to processes for the manufacture of gunpowder from nitrocellulose; and the said invention consists espe-' cially in'the improved method of manufacturing a powder of uniform or standard tric acids or into a mixture of nitric acids and sulphuric acids diluted and subsequently washing and drying the residual product a nitro-substitution product of cellulose is obtained, which product consists of an admix ture of some or all of the members of a series of nitro-substitution" products into which nitrocellulose can be split up or of -which it is formed, and this with or without the accom- .paniment' of free. non-nitrated cotton. This series of intro-substitution products of cellulose is variously defined by difierent authorities; but the nature of the resultant mixture of nitro' -substitution products of cellulose may dii fer'in many ways. Since the explosive force of any nitrocellulose or of any mixture of nitrocelluloses va-.

ries with the amount of oxygen that is intro- -duced into the cellulose along with nitrogen .during'the conversion of the cellulose into Burial N0- 562,691. (No specimens.)

nitrocellulose, and since the amount of this oxygen so introduced is in definite ratio'to the amount of nitrogen so introduced, the determination of the amount of nitrogen so introduced will serve to indicate the amount of oxygen introduced. The explosive force of the nitrocellulose may therefore be determined through the chemical estimation of its nitration, or it may be determined experimentallyby ballistic tests, the explosive force of powde r varying with the velocity of the pro-1 jectile and with the pressure developed in the boreof the gun.

From the premises supplemented by experiments we have discovered the hereinafter-described method of controlling the'explosive force of powders made from nitrocellulose or pyroxylines, so as to produce from a given volume or weight of said nitrocellulose or pyroxyline a predetermined uniform or approximately uniform ballistic eifect. To carry out t-his method We predetermine within the limits of nitration strength of stable nitrocellulose, as determined by chemical analysis, any nitration strength'of nitrocellulose or pyroxyline (for the sake of example let us assume N. 12.75 per cent. of the chemical composition of the nitrocellulose) that we desire to maintain. We then take a ni trocellnlose of a nitration strength known to be above the nitration strength that is to be maintained (take, for the sake of example, LT. =.13.00 per cent. of the chemical composition of the.

said nitrocellulose) and mix or blend it with a nitrocellulose of a nitration strength known to be'below the nitration strength of nitrocellulose that is to be maintained (take, for the sake of example, N. 11.50 per cent. of the chemical composition of the said nitrocellulose) in such a manner that the mean nitration strength of the blended or mixed mass equals the predetermined nitration strength (int-his case N 12.75 per cent.) that it is desired to. maintain. mean nitration strength of mixtures of two or In this way any desired more grades of nitrocellulose maybe obtained by simple computation.

blow .if agiven weight or volume of blended or mixed nitrocellulosesbe so compounded from two or more nitrocelluloses that compose it as to form a blended or mixed mass of predetermined mean nitration strength, and if the blended or mixed muss so obtained be subsequently reduced to the colloid state by ad mixture with and subsequent kneading together with a suitable solvent, such as acctone or acetic ether or other solvent capable of dissolving'all of the nitrocellulose present so as to form a homogeneous mass of mean nitration strength, and if the colloided mass so obtained be worked into shapes of the same form and dimensions, then equal weights or equal volumes of the colloided shapes so obtained will, if ignited in the bore of a given gnn,develop'cqual or approximately equal explosive etfects. Furthermore, if a given weight or volume of these blended nitrocelluloses of predetermined nitration strength be mixed with'a suitable oxydizing agent, (such as oxygen-carrying salts of metallic b'aseor of ammonia, such as chlorates, nitrates, sulphates, or carbonates, singly or taken to gcther,) and the whole be'colloided and made into powder, then this powder will be of pract icall y-uniforin strength, and like charges will in the same gun produce like results. i Furtherinore, if the blend of nit-rocelluloses be combined with non-volatile organic compounds not'containingnitrogen, whether with or without an oxidizing agent, and the mix ture be colloided and made into powder'or in any way be converted into a homogeneous mass and this mass be made into shapes of the same form and dimensions, then equal weights or volumes of these shapes so 01 rained will, if ignited 1n thcbore of a. given gun, develop equalor approximately equal,

explosive effects.

In brief, the process consists in mixing to gcther two or more nitrocelluloses of known nitration strength in such proportions as-to obtain a nitrocellulose product of standard or desired nitration strength, in. adding an oxidizing agent and camphor, in colloiding the mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitrocellulosepresent, and

in pressing the colloid mass into plates, sheets, I

or strips, or regular forms of iuniform'least dimension of suitable size and shape, finally drying the same. The least dimension, which may be called the. thickness of these sheetsor strips, will determine the time of burning of the powder, and, will vary according'to the length and caliber of the gun for which the powder is intended.

In practice we use barium nitrate as the preferred oxidizing agent in the,proportions" of about fifteen per cent. of barium nitrate to one per centof camphor, to'eighty-four per cent. of the nitro'substitution products; butthese proportions may be varied within wide 1 R limits, and

compound.

and in.

either the barium nitrate or the cainphor,orboth,may.be omitted from thesame, inv com As typical formula pf powders we use- I Grams; Torpedo station gun-cotton, lot 160 (N :1306 r cont.) '273 l) l ont's soluble nitrocellulose, lot 1 (N.= 11. 'i'pcr cent- N Parts of mean nitration (N.=l2.75 percent) 1K7 .Bariuninitrate 07 Precipitate of chalk Total It. 4

e Torpedo staiiori'gnnuvtion. lot 162 (l\".=1'2 89 per cent). Du onts soluble nitrocellulose,-lot 1 tit-=11. per cent Parts of menu nitration (N. 12.75 per cent Barium nitrate i Precipltate of chalk Total In each case the nitrocclluloses arepreviously gelatinized with. about four hundred cubic centimeters acetone, in which are dissolved about six grams of campho but these proportions may be varied within the desired limits.

Moreover, if desired, the explosive effectof the. powder so formed may be weakened by the addition of a suitable amount of nonnitrated cellulose or like inert material, or altered by omitting altogether the addition of the oxidizing agent.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent ofthe United States, is

1. The process of manufacturing an explosive from nitro-celluljose, which consists in blendingor mixing together definite amounts of two or more-nitro-celluloses', the nitration strength of each of which is different from the 4 mean nitration strength desired, by means of a volatile solvent capable of dissolving the highest term of Intro-cellulose present, and in then drying out said-solvent, substantially as described. v

2. Theprocess of manufacturinga nitrocellulose explosive ofuniform or approximately uniform ballistic-qualities, which consists in. so blending a plurality of Intro-celluloses as to obtain aproduoteontaining a uni form percentage of nitrogen.

.3. The process ormanufacturin g an explosive fromimtro-cellulose, which consists in blending ormixi-ng together definite amounts of two or more nitro-cellul'oses, the nitration strength of each of which is difierent from the mean nitration strength desired, in reducing thismass to the colloid state with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitro-cellulose present, and" in separating the colloid mass into regular forms of uniform least dimension, and drying stantially'as described.

e. The process of manufacturing an explosive from nitro-cellulose, which consists in blending or mixing together definite amounts the same, suboftwo .or more nitro celluloses the nitration strength of each of which is different from the mean nitration strength desired, in treating this mass with iuz'zetone and colloiding the. tossingthe colloid mass into regular forms of uniform least dimension, and

drying these grains, substantially as de-' in incorporating into this mixture an oxidiz-:'

ing inorganic agent, substantially as described. 7

6. The process of manufacturing an explosive from nitro-cellulose, which consists in blending or mixing together definite amounts of a plurality of nitro-celluloses, in colloiding this mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitro-cellulose present and in incorporating barium nitrate into the mixture, substantially as described.

7. The process of manufacturing an explosive from nitro-cellulos'c, which consists in blending together definite amounts of a plurality of nitro celluloses, the nitration strength of each of which is different from the mean nitration strength desired, in colloiding this mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitro-cell'ulose present and in adding camphor to the mixture, substantially as described.

S. The process of manufacturing an explosive from nitro-cellulose, which consists in mixing definite amounts of a' plurality of nitro-cclluloses, the nitration strength of each of which is different from the mean nitration strength desired, in addingan oxidizing agent and camphor to the mass, in eolloiding the mixture with a solvent capable oi dissolving the highest. form of nitro-eellulose present, and making the un i form least dimension substantially as described.

9. The process of manufacturing an explosive from mire-cellulose, which consists in blendingiogeiher definite amounts of a plusame into regular forms of rality of nitro celluloses, the nitration strength of each of which is different from the mean nitration strength desired in colloiding this mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitro-cellulose present, and in incorporating into this mixture non-r nitrated cellulose, substantially as described.

10. The process of manufacturing an explosive from nitro-cellulose, which consists in blending together definite amounts of a plurality of nitro eelluloses, the nitration strength of each of which is d- Eercnt from the mean nitration strength desired in colloiding this mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitro-cellulose present,

andin incorporating into this mixture non;

nitrated cellulose, and an oxidizing agent, substantially as described.

' 11. The process of manufacturing an explosive, which consists in blending together definite amounts of a plurality of nitro-celluloses,

the nitration strength of each of which'isdifferent from the mean nitration strength desired in colloiding this mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of hitrocellulose present, and in incorporating into this mixture non-nitrated cellulose and camphor, substantially as described.

12. The process of manufacturing an explosive; which consists in blending together definite amounts of a plurality of nitro-celluloses,

the nitration strength of each of which is different from the mean nitration strength desired in colloiding this mass with a solvent capable of dissolving the highest form of nitip-cellulose present, and in incorporating into this mixture non-nitrated cellulose, an oxidizing agent. and camphor, silbstantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signs tnres in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B, BERNADOU. GEORGE A. CONVERSE. Witnesses: Tnos. Ensure, EDW'ARD W. MEEIKLER. 

